ASSESSMENT OF THE LOCALITY. 45 



they may not possess a dense leaf canopy, are often capable 

 of preserving the fertility of the soil for a certain period, 

 because under their half shade mosses grow, which protect 

 the soil just as well as a thick layer of leaves. When the 

 conifers begin to thin out to some extent, the mosses dis- 

 appear gradually, except in very moist localities ; hence these 

 species should' not by themselves be treated under a high 

 rotation, except in very fertile soils. Of the conifers which 

 are here referred to, Weymouth pine, Austrian pine, Cembran 

 pine, and mountain pine have a fairly dense leaf canopy, 

 and yield a considerable crop of needles, more especially 

 Weymouth pine. Scotch pine has a thinner crown, and a 

 tendency to open out after the age of thirty or forty years, 

 when the moss is liable to disappear and to be replaced 

 by a crop of grass or heather. At the same time, the 

 density of the leaf canopy of this tree differs very consider- 

 ably according to the conditions under which it is grown. 

 The Scotch pine grown in the moist climate of the British 

 Isles gives a much denser cover, than when grown in dry 

 continental climates. 



Larch provides but a thin leaf canopy in summer, and is 

 leafless in winter. It begins to thin out at an early age ; 

 the moss disappears quickl}', is replaced by grass, and the 

 needles decay rapidly, so that the tree is unfit for preserving 

 the fertility of the soil. 



The power of preserving the factors of the locality which 

 is peculiar to the several species, governs their adaptability 

 to be raised in pure woods, a subject which will be dealt 

 with further on. 



Section VI. — Assessment of the Quality of the 

 Locality. 



It is the duty of the forester to determine, in the case of 

 any particular locality, which species is best adapted for 



